Tag Archive for: Amenity

Origin Amenity Solutions to distribute Harmonix Turf Defense

/in , /by

Origin Amenity Solutions to distribute Harmonix Turf Defense: Origin Amenity Solutions is delighted to announce that it is the UK partner and distributor of Harmonix Turf Defense, a revolutionary bio-control fungicide, for the natural control of disease in managed amenity turf.

This latest product addition further bolsters Origin Amenity Solutions’ (OAS) extensive range of fungicides and nutritional disease control solutions. The partnership with manufacturer’s Envu, further reinforces OAS’ commitment to the amenity sector, providing its customers with new, innovative products and advice that enhances their integrated disease management programmes.

Origin Amenity Solutions to distribute Harmonix Turf Defense

Origin Amenity Solutions to distribute Harmonix Turf Defense

The first registered biological product of its kind, Harmonix Turf Defense answers the call from greenkeepers for sustainable options following synthetic product withdrawals and a growing desire for integrated fungicide programmes to manage turf in line with environmental aspirations. Perfect for the treatment of Microdochium Patch, Dollar Spot, Anthracnose and more. Harmonix Turf Defense offers a versatile and effective solution against disease as part of a wider integrated hybrid approach.

Phil Logan, National Account Manager, Envu UK & Ireland comments;

“Expectations for turf are shifting alongside environmental concerns, and with the end of synthetic products in sight, we are at the dawn of a new age. Biologicals are the future of turf disease management.  Re-shaping turf management strategy is key and multi-site products like Harmonix Turf Defense offer a more economical and sustainable pathway as, longer-term, pathogens are less likely to become resistant to it. We have already achieved an impressive guaranteed efficacy level for a biological product with Harmonix Turf Defense and as a company we are committed to further R&D in this area,”

Peter Corbett, Technical Manager for Origin Amenity Solutions adds;

“The launch and introduction of Harmonix Turf Defense is one I am delighted to be involved with, introducing biologicals into the fungicide sector is paving the way forward. We all have a lot to learn about the use of these products and how we can integrate them into reliable disease control programmes.  Progress over the last few seasons has been very encouraging, that even with the expected reduction in synthetic fungicides we can create reliable disease management programmes that help our customers. As a team we are proud to be at the forefront of the introduction of bio-fungicides into the fine turf market.”

As a natural Bio-control turf fungicide, Harmonix Turf Defense uses the power of a unique patented strain of bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. This works in direct contact with disease, using three active biological compounds from natural lipopeptides produced during fermentation.

These lipopeptide compounds (Iturins, that inhibit fungal spore germination, Agrastatins that destroy growing mycelia, and Surfactins that synergise with Agrastatins and Iturins for membrane disruption) are produced during the manufacturing process and are present in the finished product for instant activity when ready to spray.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Agrovista Amenity looks to the future

/in , /by

Agrovista Amenity looks to the future: Over 60 grounds professionals recently attended Agrovista Amenity’s The Future of Football Estate Management seminar, which was held at St George’s Park – the home of England’s national football teams.

Agrovista Amenity is committed to offering training and development and this insightful seminar focussed on the future of football estate management. Content included discussions on legislation, environmental pressures, fertiliser coating technology and nutrition, and ecology management.

Agrovista Amenity looks to the future

Agrovista Amenity looks to the future

The company joined forces with DLF, ICL, Campey Turf Care, and BASF to ensure the seminar programme featured a variety of expert speakers.

Andy Gray, Head of Grounds and Estates at St George’s Park, was delighted to host the seminar and stressed the importance of industry events: “Covid stopped events like this for a while, and it isn’t until they do stop that you realise how much you miss them,” he said.

“Throughout my career I have always found events such as these to be very beneficial – they are priceless in many ways.

“I’m very proud to show people what we have achieved in a small amount of time here. If one person takes just one thing away from what we do here at St George’s Park, then that is enough for me.”

Danny Stunt, Head of Grounds at Tonbridge School in Kent, was one of many delegates who benefitted from attending the seminar: “To visit St George’s Park was amazing and the event has given me something to aspire to. Not only that, but it has showed me how to get there. This has been the best place to come to help further my career.

“We are very invested in ecology and sustainability so to find out more about that was fantastic,” continued Danny. “I will be going away and introducing wildflowers to certain areas at the school, and I will be putting lots of things I have learnt today into practice.”

Joe Berry, Head Groundsman at Bristol City FC’s training ground, was particularly interested in finding out more about BASF’s Attraxor® plant growth regulator: “I am planning on using this product soon, so to see the presentation on that was very helpful. It has given me the confidence to go and use it during the grow-in period – which is what I was hoping to achieve by attending today.

“Events like this are very important to not only experience new products but also to speak to people in the industry and pick their brains about what they might be doing on their sites at different times of the year. The more we talk to one another the more we learn from one another.”

Pete Ashworth, Head Groundsman for Preston North End FC agreed: “It has been brilliant to come to this stunning venue to see old and new friends – it is great to share stories with one another and catch up. Sometimes you get stuck in a rut with products and other things, so it is good to get out and learn about new technologies. Going around the pitches at St George’s Park and seeing what Andy and the team do here has helped me to pick up a few new ideas.”

Reflecting on the seminar, Dan Hughes, Agrovista Amenity’s Head of Commercial, said: “It is really important for us to bring experts and expertise together. When you put professional turf managers together, they start sharing their problems and solutions; and at Agrovista, it is core to our ethos to facilitate that. I hope that today has inspired ideas to focus on, and the future challenges we will be presented with. I would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone that attended.”

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Origin hosts Amenity Forum Updating Event

/in , /by

Origin hosts Amenity Forum Updating Event: The Amenity Forum England first Updating Event of 2023 is being hosted by Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) on Wednesday 17th May 2023 at their Turf Science & Technology Centre in Dunmow, Essex.

The amenity forum is the UKs voluntary initiative promoting best practice in all aspects of weed, pest, and disease management. This year’s Updating Events have been delayed in order to include the outcomes and recommendation of the National Action Plan (NAP).

Origin hosts Amenity Forum Updating Event

Origin hosts Amenity Forum Updating Event

The Amenity Forum is seeking to have a clearer view of what their members want from them.  They will be holding a number of facilitated sessions to capture member views. The Updating Events headline sponsor is WeedFree but each Event will have a separate sponsor who will be putting on their own presentation along with a session to look at facilities or cover additional topics.

Origin Amenity Solutions is hosting and sponsoring the first of the England Updating events.  The day will comprise of a Policy Update presented by Amenity Forum and includes a preview of the 2023 National Action Plan.

Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) comprises four major industry brands: Headland Amenity, Rigby Taylor, Symbio and Turfkeeper.com, and is a UK distributor for Rain Bird, the global manufacturer and provider of irrigation products and services.

Peter Corbett, Executive Officer of Amenity Forum will present ‘Responding to Policy Update’.  He will highlight what is required to comply with policy changes and will include a response to the current policy landscape and provide an overview of the work of the Water Catchment Partnerships.

Mike Potts, Principal Enforcement Officer from HSE will present on ‘the Role of Pesticide Enforcement Officers’.  He will explain this new post that has been created to ensure sustainable and safe use of PPP’s with the introduction of OCR.

The day will include a tour of Origin Amenity Research & Development Centre, where the latest trial will be shared.

Further events will be hosted by ICL on 31st May at Radley College, followed on 7th June when the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAEFA) will host at the College of Agriculture Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) in Antrim.

For more information or to register for this free event visit https://bit.ly/3ounfXS

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

BASF education for Agrovista Amenity customers

/in , /by

BASF education for Agrovista Amenity customers: Several Agrovista Amenity customers recently visited the BASF production facility in Littlehampton where they got the opportunity to find out more about the processes behind producing some of the industry’s leading pest control products.

BASF is the largest producer of organic pest control products in the world. Driven by the principles of innovation, sustainability, and collaboration, BASF is constantly investing in the research and development of new products. Some of that research and development takes place in Littlehampton, West Sussex and it is also the largest nematode production facility in the world.

BASF education for Agrovista Amenity customers

BASF education for Agrovista Amenity customers

Agrovista Amenity has a strong relationship with BASF and continues to see a huge demand for their innovative products. Several of the company’s customers were recently invited for a tour around the impressive facility, which was organised by Amenity Specialists Joseph Dormer and Andrew Norman.

The day consisted of learning more about the procedures involved in manufacturing the Nemasys® nematode product; a technical deep dive into the Green Lawnger® range of turf pigments and discovering the latest developments and research involving Attraxor® plant growth regulator.

Toby Martin, an Assistant Greenkeeper at Pyecombe Golf Club in Brighton was particularly interested in the nematodes. “I recently started my NVQ Level 3 and I found this to be a great learning experience. With the recent changes in legislation into what chemicals you can and can’t use, we have started investigating different methods of controlling pests on our course. Nematodes for us seem to be the way forward. Therefore, it is important to fully know what we are doing and to make sure we are doing it properly.

“The presentation we have seen today will help us to apply them on our course in an even more effective way.”

Danny Negus, Grounds Manager at Devonshire Park in Eastbourne, said: “This was a wonderful opportunity laid out by Agrovista Amenity to gain a better understanding of what we are trying to achieve, and how we achieve it. To receive a breakdown on how BASF are producing their products was a real eye opener, and the level of knowledge they communicated was excellent.”

“The biggest thing for me is that when we stage the International it leaves a very large footprint, and we don’t have long before we stage the next event. So, we are looking at ways to mitigate some of the damage that has been left, and I am very interested in the way the BASF products protect the leaf. Today has given me lots of ideas and I’m looking forward to getting back and exploring them in depth. “

Pete May and Toni Norris from Lawntech were also upbeat about the experience. “We came today to look into the option of using nematodes,” said Pete. “The factory is fascinating, and the talk was particularly beneficial because we would not have received that level of detail from just reading the back of a product or looking online.

Toni agreed: “We are constantly looking at new products to enhance the service we can offer our customers, so it has been a really useful experience for us. At Lawntech we pride ourselves on having a deep understanding of products, and that is why we want to educate ourselves as much as possible.”

Agrovista Amenity will continue to run educational events throughout the year for customers.

A video of the event can be viewed by visiting https://youtu.be/SOQP4Ug-1l8

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Two new starters for Agrovista Amenity

/in , /by

Two new starters for Agrovista Amenity: Agrovista Amenity has announced the appointment of Stewart Carbray and Sam Sweetzer who will join the company’s renowned team of Amenity Specialists.

Stewart joins Agrovista Amenity from Bothwell Castle Golf Club where he worked for twenty-three years after initially joining as an apprentice. During this time, he worked his way up to the position of Head Greenkeeper, and after six years in this position he felt the time was right to embark on a new opportunity.

Two new starters for Agrovista Amenity

Two new starters for Agrovista Amenity

“I achieved what I set out to do at Bothwell Castle and I saw so many improvements at the course. I wanted to stay within the industry and always had an interest in the other side of the business, so the Agrovista opportunity was just too big to ignore.”

Stewart, who will be covering the areas of west and central Scotland and further down into Dumfries and Galloway borders, believes he has the perfect mentor at Agrovista Amenity.

“Ramsay MacGregor, my line manager, is the guy everyone goes to for technical advice and problem solving. I want to learn from him and pick up the reigns and become trusted and recognised just like him.

“Ultimately, I’m looking forward to working in a great team and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

Sam Sweetzer also comes from a greenkeeping background, and his last role was at The Buckinghamshire Golf Club as the Deputy Course Manager. Throughout his career he has relied on several products from Agrovista Amenity and is looking forward to learning more about the science behind them.

“There is a huge amount of pressure and demand on greenkeepers at the moment and I’m looking forward to finding solutions for them,” he said. “In the past we have always worked with Agrovista Amenity because they have such an extensive portfolio from various manufacturers. There are also specialist products that only Agrovista Amenity can sell such as Compo Expert and BASF products.

Two new starters for Agrovista Amenity

Two new starters for Agrovista Amenity

“In the last few weeks, I have already learnt a lot about all these products. The technology that goes into these products is fascinating and I think it is important to always keep moving forward with the times.”

Sam will be focusing on the areas of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire and is relishing the opportunity of building relationships with a wide variety of customers.

“I’m really looking forward to getting out on the road and meeting lots of different people, from many different sites and furthering my knowledge on various sports turf surfaces. My background might be in golf, but a lot of my clients will be working in colleges, schools, cricket, rugby and football.

“It’s an exciting prospect that people will be coming to me for advice. Having been in their shoes is important because it will help me build good long-term relationships with them, and that is what it is all about.”

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.